Ts Dr Muhammad Azzam Ismail of Universiti Malaya's Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, says Malaysia must invest in next-generation DCs to secure its position as a leader in the global digital economy.
IT is imperative that Malaysia attracts investments in advanced data centres (DCs) if it aspires to become a digital powerhouse in South-East Asia. DCs are essential for the development of digital infrastructure and a sustainable and resilient economy.
Malaysia's national power supply is cost-effective, stable and dependable, which supports the growth of DC projects. Conventional DCs use significant electricity, leading to carbon emissions and environmental harm.
In a standard DC system, 100MW are enough to power 80,000 houses. Therefore, upcoming DCs in Malaysia must focus on sustainability.
Through the use of renewable energy sources like solar, biomass, waste-to-energy, and energy-efficient cooling systems, DCs can greatly reduce their environmental impact.
Malaysia, with its ample renewable energy sources and dedication to sustainability, is in prime position to pioneer the development of environment-friendly data infrastructure and the proliferation of renewable energy generation.
Currently, more than 50% of a DC’s electricity usage is dedicated to air-conditioning. DC operators and developers could utilise revolutionary immersion cooling techniques to directly cool server racks without damaging electronic equipment, instead of depending on air-conditioning and zonal air circulation for cooling.
"Dielectric liquid immersion" cooling is efficient and can be linked to heat exchangers that are cooled using lake or sea water. This innovative cooling technique is practised in advanced economies and should be emulated here.
The region has many abandoned tin mining lakes that are ideal for clustering modular DCs on barges equipped with heat exchangers that are water cooled.
After being filtered, the water is pumped into the heat exchangers and discharged at slightly higher temperature without harming the environment drastically.
It is not necessary to treat the water used for cooling with chemicals; they simply need to be filtered to ensure the longevity of the pipes.
Alternatively, clusters of DCs can be built on land near a water-cooled district cooling plant and solar photovoltaic park to greatly decrease electricity usage. Solar PV panels can be installed in array on a lake to enhance their efficiency and cooling.
Moreover, current DCs that use air-conditioning release large quantities of hot air into urban areas, worsening the urban heat island effect, which can result in increased heavy rainfall and potential flooding in cities.
The fresh air intake is positioned apart from the hot air exhaust to ensure the effectiveness of air-conditioning and the efficiency of server racks.
Thus, positioning clusters of DCs near major bodies of water with continuous natural airflow and abundant tropical vegetation, away from crowded urban areas, is crucial for maintaining the quality of life in Malaysia's cities.
New DC designs and existing ones should have bio-facades and green roofs besides insulated building envelopes to reduce the urban heat island effect.
Overall, the proposed DC planning and low carbon green building design work hand-in-hand with Malaysia’s 2050 carbon neutrality aspiration.
In line with this initiative, we should enhance our existing building environmental standards and policies to encourage the suggested next-generation DCs and upgrading of existing ones.
Besides, the local construction industry stands to benefit from high value and technologically advanced building designs and construction techniques, encouraging technological innovation and economic revenues.
Next-generation DCs should adopt innovation and scalability. DCs need to be flexible and adaptable to keep up with changing demands due to the rapid evolution of technology and the exponential growth of data.
This involves implementing modular designs for simple extension and upgrades, utilising emerging technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing to enhance efficiency and performance, and promoting a culture of innovation and ongoing enhancement.
Next-generation DCs should focus on connection and cooperation. DCs act as the central point of interconnected digital ecosystems, enabling the exchange of information and cooperation among organisations, governments, and individuals in a globalised environment.
Malaysia can establish a dynamic digital environment that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth by investing in ultra high-speed broadband infrastructure, facilitating collaboration among industry players, and encouraging open data initiatives.
Furthermore, advanced DCs can assist in narrowing the digital gap and enable underserved communities to engage in the digital economy.
Ultimately, next-generation DCs are crucial for Malaysia's digital advancement. Malaysia may construct DCs that cater to the requirements of businesses and society while also laying the groundwork for a sustainable and resilient future by focusing on sustainability, environmental protection, innovation and connectivity.
Malaysia must invest in next-generation DCs to secure its position as a leader in the global digital economy. It is time to act, and the future is achievable.
This article first appeared in Star Biz7 weekly edition.
